|
of salt needed to produce the desired effect , and the cost of the mineral itself , were unforeseen problems . Then the expensive salt began to corrode the pool ’ s pipes and valves . Patronage was affected by the vicissitudes of Washington weather , and , in short order , the investors found themselves heavily in debt .
Enter Sam Solomon , a wellrespected businessman who was introduced to the group of swimming pool entrepreneurs by their mutual friend , Harry Harris , a wartime naval aviator . A Washingtonian with a stellar reputation , Solomon was considered the best bet to extricate the investors from their nightmare . Solomon met with the vice president of National Aviation Corporation , the owners of Hoover Airport ,
|
and asked him to buy back the lease for the swimming pool , convincing him that the pool could be a sound investment if managed properly . National Aviation did just that , paying off the investment group ’ s creditors .
BOSTON-MAINE : TAKE TWO
The outcome of this episode was a solid friendship among the four people who would wind up creating Northeast Airlines : Sam Solomon , Amelia Earhart , Paul Collins , and Gene Vidal .
Laurence Whittemore was still seeking a firm to handle the aviation ambitions of the Boston and Maine Railroad . He had been impressed by The Ludington Line and was ready to sign a contract when approached by Vidal and Collins .
|
The four principals each invested US $ 2,500 in the company they formed : National Airways Corporation ( not to be confused with National Airlines , the Florida outfit ). Collins was named president , with Earhart as first VP and Solomon as second VP . Vidal had accepted a job as Director of the Bureau of Air Commerce , charged with bringing order to the chaotic state of US air transport , and |
10 Northeast ’ s April 27 , 1941 timetable includes a route map showing the “ Path of the Pilgrim Planes ”. // DAVID H . STRINGER COLLECTION |
10 |
11 |